Can You Trust Your Omega-3 Supplement?

Fish oil faithfuls beware: Thirty-one percent of omega-3 supplements are mislabeled or have quality issues, according to recent tests by ConsumerLab.com.

When ConsumerLab tested 35 omega-3 supplements on the market, they found startling results. Four supplements contained 20 percent to 30 percent less omega-3s than the labels claimed, one product contained spoiled fish oil, and three products contained two to three times the claimed amounts of fatty acids. One incorrectly claimed to contain 1 milligram (mg) of fat, but actually contained 1,000 mg. (You can buy the full report here.)

If you do take a supplement, your best bet is Swanson EFA’s Super EPA, according to Tod Cooperman, M.D., President of ConsumerLab.com. It rated well in the study, and at just six cents a pill and packing 500 mg of omega-3s (most experts suggest 300 to 500 mg per day), it’s both safe and inexpensive. To know exactly which supplements you need to take every day, find out The Top 10 Supplements for Men.